Discussion
Does anyone have any info on the Etna (such as current owner and web site with detailed pics). Also, while we are on the subject, I have an early book about Esprits (somewhere) that has a picture of Collin with the first Esprit prototype...anyone know who has that car? (it looked very different than the S1)
Ryan
Ryan
The Lotus Etna was bought a few years ago by UK Lotus Independant dealer Paul Matty
(www.paulmattysportscars.co.uk). He bought it when the factory had a clearout after Proton bought them and they sold all the Museum cars - including the Bond cars. He used to have it sat in his showroom.
(www.paulmattysportscars.co.uk). He bought it when the factory had a clearout after Proton bought them and they sold all the Museum cars - including the Bond cars. He used to have it sat in his showroom.
britten_mark said:I saw it when I visited Paul Matty's.
It's still in Matty's showroom, don't know if its for sale or just an "ornament"
Cheers
Mark
It is just a very rough mock up and can't really be described as a car.
I think he was open to offers, but you'd have to be completely mad.....
PatHeald said:
It's still in Matty's showroom, don't know if its for sale or just an "ornament"
Cheers
Mark
I saw it when I visited Paul Matty's.
It is just a very rough mock up and can't really be described as a car.
I think he was open to offers, but you'd have to be completely mad.....
I dont seem to see it on the site. Where is it?
[quote]
I dont seem to see it on the site. Where is it?[/quote]
I don't think he makes much of a fuss over it, it's just tucked in a corner. I have a nice Autocar magazine article on it which I can scan if anybody is interested. It looked fabulous when it came out, very much where Colin Chapman wanted to take the company. There was even a stretched limo designed along very similar styling lines (not sure if it was Giugiaro's work) that was intended to be Margaret Thatcher's personal limo, but it never got off the drawing board.
The prototype if it still exists would I guess be in Italdesign's collection. I am sure I saw it in a museum exhibition of Giugiaros work in Italy a few years ago (along with the Boomerang, the spiritual father of the Esprit concept).
I dont seem to see it on the site. Where is it?[/quote]
I don't think he makes much of a fuss over it, it's just tucked in a corner. I have a nice Autocar magazine article on it which I can scan if anybody is interested. It looked fabulous when it came out, very much where Colin Chapman wanted to take the company. There was even a stretched limo designed along very similar styling lines (not sure if it was Giugiaro's work) that was intended to be Margaret Thatcher's personal limo, but it never got off the drawing board.
The prototype if it still exists would I guess be in Italdesign's collection. I am sure I saw it in a museum exhibition of Giugiaros work in Italy a few years ago (along with the Boomerang, the spiritual father of the Esprit concept).
The limo would be the Lotus Eminence. This concept car was designed in the mid '80's by William Towns (he of Aston Martin Lagonda and Bulldog fame). It was killed off by GM when they bought the company and never got beyond the drawing board.
Rumours abound that the V12 Lotus were developing for this car (I saw the engine prototype at the Lotus open day last year) was squished into an overgrown Esprit chassis - transversly! It was a runner but was wider than a Testerossa and looked hideous. And you thought the V8 strained the gearbox......
Rumours abound that the V12 Lotus were developing for this car (I saw the engine prototype at the Lotus open day last year) was squished into an overgrown Esprit chassis - transversly! It was a runner but was wider than a Testerossa and looked hideous. And you thought the V8 strained the gearbox......
hedgerley said:
Rumours abound that the V12 Lotus were developing for this car (I saw the engine prototype at the Lotus open day last year) was squished into an overgrown Esprit chassis - transversly! It was a runner but was wider than a Testerossa and looked hideous. And you thought the V8 strained the gearbox......
I'd love to see that! I like my cars the wider the better. And an extremelly wide Esprit with a V12 in it
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